Archive · 28 Aug 2026
Letters Debate Women’s Clothing, Electoral Data, UPI and Green Spaces
The letters discuss several disagreements about public life in India.
One writer said women should be free to choose their clothes and criticized the controversy over Kriti Sanon’s advertisement.
Kangana Ranaut had criticized Sanon’s outfit, and the advertisement was later withdrawn.
Another letter disputed a newspaper report about voter-list appeals in West Bengal.
The newspaper said its report was based on statements made in court and information cited by lawyers.
Two writers said UPI has made digital payments easier and helped more people use formal financial services.
They also warned that scammers use fake links, QR codes and calls to steal money.
A final writer said a Karnataka parks bill could harm green spaces, while alleging that development interests influenced the decision.
A reader criticized the withdrawal of a Kriti Sanon Raksha Bandhan advertisement after Kangana Ranaut objected to Sanon’s outfit.
West Bengal’s Additional Chief Electoral Officer denied that the office supplied information cited in a report about appeals before SIR tribunals.
The Telegraph said its report relied on submissions made before the Supreme Court, while counsel Neha Rathi also cited an RTI response and an earlier Telegraph report.
Readers praised UPI’s simplicity and financial inclusion while warning that cyber fraud threatens digital payments.
A reader opposed Karnataka’s bill allowing up to 5% of park or garden land to be used for public utility projects.
- Who
- The letters involve Kriti Sanon, Kangana Ranaut, West Bengal election officials, The Telegraph, lawyers before the Supreme Court, UPI users, and the Karnataka government.
- What
- Readers and officials debated women’s clothing, a report about West Bengal voter-list appeals, the benefits and risks of UPI, and a Karnataka parks amendment bill.
- When
- The letters refer to events in 2026; UPI completed 10 years on August 25, and the disputed Telegraph article was published on August 26.
- Where
- The issues concern India, including West Bengal, Karnataka, Calcutta, Nainital, Kanpur and Mysuru, as well as countries where UPI has expanded.
- Why
- The letters address cultural attitudes toward women, the accuracy and sourcing of electoral information, digital-payment access and security, and the possible effects of development on green spaces.
Critics and concerns
Defences and official explanations
Women’s clothing and cultural norms
Critics and concerns
The reader argued that treating a stylish outfit worn around a brother as provocative reflects a warped mindset and turns women’s bodies into a cultural battleground.
Defences and official explanations
Kangana Ranaut criticized Kriti Sanon’s outfit, describing it as a “bikini” and arguing that such clothing in front of a brother conflicts with Indian culture.
Source of electoral information
Critics and concerns
The West Bengal election official said the Chief Electoral Officer’s office had not supplied the cited information under the RTI Act, challenging the report’s stated sourcing.
Defences and official explanations
The Telegraph said the figures came from court submissions by Gopal Sankaranarayanan and Neha Rathi. Rathi added that the submissions relied on an earlier Telegraph report and RTI information received by Isha Khan Choudhury.
UPI’s impact and risks
Critics and concerns
The letters warned that UPI’s scale and simplicity have enabled phishing, fake QR codes, impersonation, fraudulent calls and deceptive payment requests.
Defences and official explanations
Other readers praised UPI for making transfers seamless, expanding access to formal financial services and supporting financial autonomy and inclusion.
Use of parkland
Critics and concerns
A reader said allowing parkland to be alienated could damage ecology and beauty, reverse the Green Bengaluru initiative and reflect real-estate pressure.
Defences and official explanations
The amendment provides for using up to 5% of park or garden land for public utility projects; the letter does not provide the government’s further justification.
- Advertisement controversy
- A jewellery brand’s Raksha Bandhan advertisement featuring Kriti Sanon was withdrawn after controversy over her outfit.
- Electoral figures
- The disputed report said 7 lakh of 38 lakh appeals before Bengal SIR tribunals concerned deletions, while 31 lakh challenged inclusions.
- Official clarification
- West Bengal’s Additional Chief Electoral Officer said the Chief Electoral Officer’s office had not supplied such information under the RTI Act to any query specified in the report’s opening sentence.
- Newspaper response
- The Telegraph said its report drew on oral and written submissions made before a Supreme Court bench and on material cited by the lawyers.
- UPI milestone
- Unified Payments Interface completed 10 years on August 25.
- UPI risks
- The letters identify phishing links, fraudulent QR codes, impersonation, fake customer-care calls and deceptive payment requests as cyber-fraud methods.
- Karnataka parks bill
- The Karnataka Government Parks (Preservation) (Amendment) Bill, 2026, allows alienation of up to 5% of a park or garden’s total area for public utility projects.